CNC
Finished the Flip Side
I was able to run the Taig CNC today to finish cut the motor side of my trial heat-sink. It has a few flaws here and there but fairly minor. They were caused by broken milling bits and having to start over several times.
Actually this is “good enough” for actual use if that term is acceptable. It is perfectly functional and ready for use.
I have four more to make so I will be well practiced by the time I do the last one. The time on this side to cut all the fins and a finish pass on the inside took almost five hours.
That doesn’t include the 1/4″ end mill time for cutting the center recess and the big hole. That is about 60 minutes more to do both sides.
The fact is it takes a LOOONG day to make one of these. OK for personal use but hardly worth doing for production. That is the time cost in making what is a fully machined prototype (or five). For volume production this would be best be a casting and then the only machining would be to set the desired inside thickness and create the flat heat sink contact area which is seen on this side.
All the fins on both sides have been cut using only one 3/32″ 2 flute solid carbide end mill. Looking at its cutting end and how it was performing when this side was done, I would say it still has a lot of linear feet left to travel.
BTW, the Taig mill is performing wonderfully spinning for many continuous hours at 10,600 RPM at the spindle; Which I must add, doesn’t even get warm.
Vectric Software Update
The Vectric Software that I use for 3D carving and engraving design with my CNC machines (and the main reason for HB2) has just published a new creative design program named ASPIRE. It is kind of a blend and update to their previous products with additional creative ability for 3D designs. For a look-see follow this LINK.
Getting Together HB2
Making Progress
The parts are going together for the HB2 assembly. At last is is starting to look like a router machine. I like the yellow but no one else has to agree.
The biggest problem has been the bolt sizing. The shopping list wasn’t exactly correct but close enough. I am using Alan cap screws where possible and some Phillips head. Almost all the nuts are nylon lock type.
The rails are extreamly nice and should prove to be very accurate. More pictures as I get it closer to finish.
10/28 – Update from this mess!
Follow this link: HB2 Section #3
Time to Clamp Down
Low profile CNC vise
Today I spent most of the day laying out, milling and assembling this CNC machine vise/clamp. It is low profile to stay out of the way of machining actions. The rest of the day was spent publishing it in my The Hobbyist’s Machine Shop web page and several other links including here.
Some times making the parts that make the parts is required. This was one of those times.
Columbus Day
Its Columbus Day (the real date) and its been a busy weekend so far the The Hobbyist’s Machine Shop. (My playroom 🙂
I broke two more of the tiny mill bits on the heat sink milling for the HB2 . I am going to have to stop doing that. It is really a “dumb me” problem. The last one was because I did not have the part I was milling suitably (meaning rigidly) attached to the bed of the mill. It came loose whilst milling. Poo!
So now I am taking the time out to build the correct clamping system to hold the heat sink blanks. It is a project I wanted and needed to do anyway, but the lesson is I should have done it first. It’s just a reminder that the set-up is everything.
The clamp can and will be used for holding other projects on the mill so it will be a great addition to the tool box. It will be a larger version of the clamping system I used to make the A3 locomotive wheels. That clamp is just a tiny bit too small so I resorted to a less than satisfactory clamping method. It worked… for awhile. 🙁
The new clamp will take advantage of the machined plate (with all the threaded holes) that I made for the Taig. Then I will not have any clamping gadgets sticking up in the way of milling. Of course I will post some pictures in a about a week when I have got it working.
This weekend I also ordered all the nuts and bolts for assembly of the HB2. I went with stainless for most bolts but had to select “oil black” metric sockets heads to mount the linear rails. (Not available in… Continue reading